A graduate student presents and points at a screen.

Professional Development

At its core, graduate school IS professional development. You’re taking advanced courses to develop the skills and expertise you need to pursue a professional career. In higher education, however, the term “professional development” extends beyond the classroom, library, or lab. It describes all those activities outside of your coursework that help build your qualifications by improving your academic, research, and career skills. Here are a few of the most important. 

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Grad student presenting research poster

Attending and Presenting at Conferences

Student sitting in WMU Library

Publishing Your Work

Student working on laptop

Creating a Professional Website

Service learning

Gaining Service and Leadership Experience

Paper, phone, pen

Staying Informed: Industry Trends